did law school help you express yourself so well? it was a great read.i am jealous(i know an emotion).you are not the only liberal gun owner,just the only one i know of.i love guns,am an atheist,liberal,esp fiscal i remember,the lone ranger and roy rogers.i knew real heroes,marine corps v.n.but dont feel the need to share. tks

About

I am a former lawyer with a recent MA in history (comprehensive fields: medieval Europe and modern Middle East). Also, I study the Arabic language, en shah 'Allah. I am a former Episcopalian, and current Atheist. I am married to a former Englishwoman who is also an atheist. No children. I would not inflict my parenting on a child. I love shooting as a fascinating hobby, but I reject the right-wing narrative that many cling to as a justification for their expensive hobby. The idea that the 2nd Am. is to keep you safe from your own government began after the Civil War to help freedmen defend themselves from racist state governments. That is actually the origin of the NRA. The original purpose of the 2nd Am. had more to do with suppressing native or slave revolts than it did with personal protection. I have lived in Arab countries and I like them a lot better than I like a lot of white Americans.

I believe in evidence, science, and scientific expertise. Evolution is real, as is artificial global warming, and vaccines work. The Earth is 4.6 billion years old and if the most strident Evangelical were born in Iran instead of Alabama, then he would have been the most strident Shia Muslim. I almost always vote Democratic, because they tend to be less wrong than the frankly insane Republican Party, which is now a fascist party in all be name. Trump is about the worst person this country has ever produced and became guilty of impeachable offenses when he lied during his oath of office, not that his House automatons will ever have the courage to oppose him.

Courage is a king of virtues and compassion for others, especially those who are different than you, requires far more courage than anger or dismissal. Compassion requires a person to feel the suffering of others. That is hard. It also requires a degree of honesty and self-criticism, which is also hard. Anger, hatred, and dismissal are much easier as they erect a wall between you and those who suffer. Still, one sacrifices part of his or her humanity by rejecting refugees or dismissing the victims of police violence as "thugs." Courage is accepting them as people, sharing their suffering, and refusing to accept oppression as normal. I seem to remember this philosophy being espoused by someone named "Jesus Christ."